Malvaceae. 139 
near the High School. The Coral Hibiscus has been used in Hono- 
lulu to a great extent as a male plant in crosses with other Hibiscus. 
Hibiscus mutabilis L. 
Changeable Rose-Mallow. 
Plate LV. 
The Rose- Mai I on- is an erect branched shrub, six to fifteen feet 
high, and more or less covered with short grayish stellate hairs; the 
leaves are five-lobed or five-angled, crenate, about eight inches long, 
pointed, and heart-shaped at the base. The pedicels are axillary, 
single, and three and one-half to five and one-half inches long. The 
flowers, which open white and turn pink to red as the day advances, 
are four and one-half inches in diameter, usually double, as in the 
case of the plant here figured, but sometimes single. 
This true Hibiscus resembles a Mallow, whence the name Rose- 
Mallow. It is a native of China, but is now cultivated in most tropi- 
cal countries. In Honolulu it is usually found on residential prem- 
ises as an ornamental bush, but has not been used successfully in 
crossing with other varieties or forms of Hibiscus. 
The bark of this species, like that of most of the other members 
of the genus, yields a strong fibre. The inner layer of the bark is 
soft and silky, while that of the outer layer is hard and lead-colored. 
Lagunaria patersonii D. Don. 
White Oak, Tulip Tree. 
The White Oak is a meduim-sized tree, the young parts and in- 
florscence of which are more or less covered with minute scales, but 
otherwise smooth. The leaves are oblong, three to four inches long 
and somewhat leathery, they are white underneath when young, 
glabrous and pale green on both sides when full-grown. 
The flowers are quite large and handsome, and are of a deep 
pink to purple, resembling the Hibiscus of the same family. The 
capsule is lined inside with short barbed hairs, which adhere to the 
skin, producing an irritation similar to that produced by the hair of 
the prickly pear. 
The wood is quite soft and of no commercial value, not even 
suitable for firewood. From the bark, however, is prepared a beauti- 
ful fibre. 
The If lute Oak is a native of Norfolk Island, where it grows 
